Hermit's Peak

Herman's Hermits four UK albums for EMI's Columbia label, dating between 1965 and 1968. All albums were produced by Mickie Most and feature UK and US hits such as 'I'm Henry The Eighth I Am', Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter', 'Listen People', 'No Milk Today', 'There's A Kind Of Hush', 'Dandy' and 'You Won't Be Leaving' Digitally remastered and slipcased. New notes.
Herman's Hermits were one of those odd 1960s groups who accumulated millions of fans, but precious little respect. Indeed, their status is remarkably similar to that of the Monkees, and it's not a coincidence that both groups' music was intended to appeal to younger teenagers. The difference is that as early as 1976, the Monkees began to be considered cool by people who really knew music…

When all is said and done regarding the most influential power pop bands of the '60s, Herman's Hermits and Tommy James & the Shondells emerge as the clear-cut winners for the same reason: Their music was so diverse and well constructed that it showed the different dimensions of a genre that inspired music smart enough to respect its roots which, in turn, inspired music too hip for its own good – the modern rock movement that was not half as much fun as "the new wave," or as essential as anything found on ABKCO's perennial release of Herman's Hermits' Their Greatest Hits.

More than another Herman's Hermits album with two hit songs, "Leaning on the Lamp Post" and "A Must to Avoid," this MGM soundtrack features the original version of "Where Were You When I Needed You," the first of 14 hits for the Grass Roots, which landed in the Top 30 four months after Peter Noone sang it. This version, like everything here, sounds very British Invasion, Mickey Most's production emulating early Beatles. Four of the tunes, including the title track "Hold On" and the hit "A Must to Avoid," were written by the team of Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, the original pairing which helped launch the Grass Roots. This is the West Coast meeting the U.K. in a very pleasant way, and the combination is impressive. Five of the lesser tunes were penned by F. Kargor/B. Weisman/S. Wayne, including the best of that bunch, "Make Me Happy," sung by actress Shelley Fabares. Fabares hit with the song "Johnny Angel" in 1962…

More than another Herman's Hermits album with two hit songs, "Leaning on the Lamp Post" and "A Must to Avoid," this MGM soundtrack features the original version of "Where Were You When I Needed You," the first of 14 hits for the Grass Roots, which landed in the Top 30 four months after Peter Noone sang it. This version, like everything here, sounds very British Invasion, Mickey Most's production emulating early Beatles. Four of the tunes, including the title track "Hold On" and the hit "A Must to Avoid," were written by the team of Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, the original pairing which helped launch the Grass Roots. This is the West Coast meeting the U.K. in a very pleasant way, and the combination is impressive. Five of the lesser tunes were penned by F. Kargor/B. Weisman/S. Wayne, including the best of that bunch, "Make Me Happy," sung by actress Shelley Fabares. Fabares hit with the song "Johnny Angel" in 1962…

Repertoire records has sort of confused the issue of Herman's Hermits CDs by releasing this 25-song compilation in 1994 and then, in 2000, re-releasing the soundtrack Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter on CD. To clarify, this is not the soundtrack to the 1968 movie, but a collection of the group's 1964-1965 sides from various singles and EPs. Some of it will surprise listeners who think of Herman's Hermits as the poppiest component of the British Invasion and barely a rock & roll group at all - regardless of who is actually playing on "Walking With My Baby" or "Dream On," those are as solid as any early album track by the Hollies, and they don't do a bad version of "For Your Love" either; they even make an attempt at a slightly bluesier sound on "I Wonder," though this was clearly not Peter Noone's vocal forte…